Trekking In The Annapurna Region - WOW!

I was determined to trek in Nepal, but I was anxious about my level of fitness, my lack of training, altitude sickness and a number of general health issues relating to low haemoglobin levels, iron deficiency and low blood pressure - but apart from that...what did I have to worry about?!

I found a reputable company, booked myself a guide and chose a five day trekking option which avoided Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) and the higher passes which were still closed whilst officials looked for the bodies of those killed and missing from last week.

Day One -
We set off from the city of Pokhara at 7.30 and drove for 80 minutes to a small village called Nayapul (our base camp start point.) Ahead I could see one of the mountains in the range, a baby at only 7,484m called Gangapurna.) And so began our ascent. We walked up beautiful green valleys following an icy grey/green, fast-flowing river, fed directly by snow melt from the Annapurna range (definitely too cold to swim in!) 

Crossing the first of many suspension bridges I felt fresh and excited, but I had not expected the relentless heat. After two hours of constant climbing, I was bathed in sweat and when my guide Chandra said "we Nepalese eat lunch at 11.00" - I was happy to stop at the next guest house. I drank tea, 1/2 litre of water and forced down some fried rice and vegetables, though I was not hungry.

Chandra however, devoured two huge plates of Nepalese rice and curry (dal bhat.) We set off again and Chandra said we were just an hour away from our designated stop for day one and had made good time. He said that if I were up for it, we could begin the ascent of the "4000 steps" and stop later in the day, thus making day two less challenging. I agreed.

The incline increased and the temperature rose. I was sweating so profusely by now that my shirt and hat were saturated and the 'hour' to the steps took me 90 minutes. When I saw the first of the steps Chandra asked if I was sure I wanted to continue today? I said yes, but what followed was monstrous. I started counting the steps silently in my head in batches of 25, unable to look up, speak to those coming down and barely able to shuffle out of the way of those who were passing me.  When I reached 700 I asked Chandra how much further? "700 hundred more," he answered. I thought to myself 'I can make that and tomorrow will be easier.'

I stopped counting at 2300 steps and I was now forced to rest every hundred paces. "4000 steps - my arse Chandra - how much further?" Chandra said 40 minutes more. It had taken me 90 minutes to climb those 2300 steps. Determined, I set off again, dreaming of an ice cold shower and a cup of tea. "There will be a shower won't there Chandra?"  He assured me there would be.

At 3.30pm (6 and a half hours after setting off) we arrived at our new village, Ulleri 1960m. The first and second guest houses we went to were full and I nearly cried! However, the third had a room and I had already started to peel off my soaked clothing and walked to the shower whilst Chandra negotiated prices. The shower was sheer bliss and the smile returned to my face.

Tea, a sleep, an amazing view and then a meal with more tea before I went early to bed at 7.00pm. Breakfast is at 7.00am and Chandra says we have 4000 steps to climb when we set off!!! B@£*^% !

Day Two -

We set off at 7.30 after a breakfast (a modest omelette) and we walked for nearly 5 hours. I felt better today and the temperature was more bearable. Far less sweating you'll all be pleased to hear - I looked almost human when we stopped. The first hour was indeed up steps, but the cool of the early morning made it more bearable and then we entered the mountain forest, which was cooler still and quite shaded by the canopy above - the terrain was easier too.

Huge rhododendron trees and countless waterfalls mixed with a dappled green light and the freshest air I have ever had the plesure to breathe was magical. We stopped for a quick cup of tea - "kiri by yar, callo ched ynus, chinni na halous" - please can I have black tea, sugar not put in. "Da ne bat" - thank you (spellings are entirely my own!) Chandra was pleased with my pace and started to look less worried about whether I would keel over on him. We decided to get a shift on and eat at our destination, Ghorepani (2,874m).

At 12.30 I was sitting on my bed contemplatng a shower and lunch. A group of 5 Germans and a mother and daugther from New Zealand are my companions in this guest house today and we all have many hours to kill before our evening meal. Tomorrow morning Chandra and I will set off at 4.45am to climb to the top of Poon Hill, an observation peak at 3,200m, to watch the sun rise over the Annapurna range at 6.15. Chandra says it will take an hour, but it is steep steps all the way, so I said we better give it an hour and 10 minutes! We shall then descend again to the guest house for breakfast before we set off for our third day of trekking.

Day Three -

Last night was very sociable. Chandra and I went for a walk around the village (well wrapped up as it was very cold) and I found a pool hall with 3 tables. Sheltering from a heavy downpour of hail and snow I ended up playing aganst a local who was clearly very good (though sadly I lost on the black, much to his relief.)

  

          Playing pool at 2860m - as you do!

I had my evening meal with Robyn and Fiona from New Zealand and then sat around the central fire  with the East Germans, 4 Nepalise guides and the Kiwi mother and daughter, chatting about our travel experiences. I called it a night at 8.00pm as the rain and the hail continued too hammer down and set my alarm for 4.30.

I slept soundly until 12.45, but then I woke and could not get back to sleep. A slightly dodgy belly meant that a torchhlit trip to the loo was in order, and the next few hours ticked by slowly as I listened to other guests snoring through paper thin walls and then my alarm went off. I put on my warmest clothes - leggings, trousers, 2 pairs of socks, t-shirt, thick jumper, coat, hat, gloves and neck buff. It was bloody  freezing, but atleast it was dry. Chandra again said we only needed an hour to get too the top of Poon Hill, but feeling worse for wear and rather slow, I said we needed longer.

As we stepped out of the guest house I was in awe at the stars above me - they were not just bright - they were huge! It was a perfectly clear night (and did I say it was freezing?) but I had to focus on my feet and not the heavens as I began to climb yet more steps. The fingers on my right hand had pins and needles, but I was determined  to get to the top before dawn. I needn't have worried. We made the 400m of ascent in just 35 minutes, meaning we had quite a wait for dawn to come. The crowds at the top grew, but even in the pre-dawn greys, I knew that the trek and intense cold was worth it. In front of me was a huge range of mountains, from Dhaulagiri (8167m) to Annapurna I (8692m), Annapurna South (7219m), Annapurnas II, III & IV and Machhapuchre (the Fish Tail mountain - 6997m and still unclimbed.)

The sun duly rose and all the snowy peaks turned golden red and fiery yellow.  I wanted to clap.

                       Annapurna South

We left after 45 minutes as Chandra was eager we got back to the guest house for a quick breakfast and set off, fearing a lack of available rooms at our next stop Tadapani.

We walked up to the ridge at 3,200mm and then ridge walked for another hour. We were above the height of planes flying through the valley below us and the landscape around us was extraordinary. I found the downhill sections increasingly challenging as my thighs started to wobble with fatigue. We decided not to stop for lunch but pushed on instead. Four hours after setting off we arrived at Tadapani, but we could not find a room. Chandra said we should go on to the next village and reckoned it would be 45 minutes more walking. We set off, but 10 minutes later it started to rain again. "The sky is sick," said Channdra "it never rains at this time of year." 

Where we are now is a village with 2 houses! Our guest house is very basic, but the fire is lit and we are out of the rain. I've just polished off a bowl of hot Nepalese dal bhat (and a flask of tea!) and am happy enough. I will have to navigate an interesting 'hole in the ground' toilet soon however, which concerns me... and my bottom!

Day Four -

I found a western toilet upstairs. Phew! (in both senses of the word!) I had my tea last night in the communal living area in front of a fire made from an old oil drum covered with clay. My company for the evening was a mix of Nepalese guides and porters, an American couple, a Norwegian and a Philippino couple now living in Singapore and three Chinese trekkers. My room was freezing, so I stayed in the common room until 8.00 before going to my bed. I read ("Looking for Alaska" by John Green), listened to a little music and then slept soundly until 6.00am when my bowel woke me up and said "toilet."

We set off walking at 8.00 and trekked initially through cool forests and canyons, enjoying the stunning views, but after 2 hours we were once again exposed to mercilous sun and heat. I'd forgotten how hot day one had been, but atleast this was downhill.

Chandra said we could either stop after 2 more hours for the night or trek on for a further 3 hours after that. I decided on the second option as it would give me a shorter walk on the final day and therefore more time in Pokhara. Our 5 hours stretched to 6 and a half, and included a quick stop for tea and a fast lunch. When we reached our final night's accommodation, needless to say my only concernns were for a shower and a western toilet. Tomorrow, we shall just have to walk for 2 hours first thing in the morning - before it gets too hot.

Day Five -

Last night I ate with three lovely women: a Russian, a Korean and an American and we all got along wonderfully. We were then entertained for a couple of hours by local dancers (teens and adults) joined by a dozen 'D of E' teenagers from England - great fun, though I avoided dancing as my legs were incapable of further movement! 

This morning we breakfasted for 7.00 and were on our way by 7.45. My calves felt so tight that each step was painful, but I was determined to finish the last two hours of my trek on foot, refusing all offers of transport as we went. We walked close to a stream which I could see joined a large river in the valley  below. The heat, my sore legs and the sound of flowing water was too much and I insisted we stop so I could paddle. "It's too cold," warned Chandra, but it was bliss (he has obviously not swum in the North Sea!)

We reached our start point in just 90 minutes and Chandra made sure our passes were stamped by the officials - thereby proving we were safely down from the mountains. We found a taxi and were in Pokhara by 11.00am.

Chandra was a wonderful guide and companion. He taught me lots of Nepalese and offered me a job in his village. "We could not pay you, but all the village would feed you and home you and take you places and you could teach our children English while we looked after you." I told him I would seriously think about it. I tipped him by donating him the 38 litre rucksack I had bought for the trek and the walking pole (which was an absolute life saver) and I gave him 4 ten pound notes (he has never seen English money before.)

              Chandra

This was a magical experience. I am tired from the exertion, but my body coped well with the cold, the heat, the altitude and the physical demands of walking for 6 and 7 hours every day. I feel proud of myself and know that I am in increasingly good shape as this journey continues. I would encourage everyone to come and trek in Nepal - it's truly beautiful. 

I'm now off to find someone who can massage my aching body!

Paul x

Nepalese Factoids

Did you know...?
That it last snowed in Kathmandu 63 years ago.
Most Kathmandu people have never seen the snow.
The average temperature in October in Kathmandu during the day is 25 to 27 degrees centigrade.
70% of the population of Nepal are Hindu, 20 % Buddhist and the remaining 10% Christian and other faiths.
Kathmandu is awfully polluted, with litter, fumes and river pollution.
There are frequent power outages in Kathmandu, as the government cuts the supply of electricity to the city due to high demand.
No one pays taxes to the government - but there is no state support for anyone.

Tourism Visa money is used to pay government staff: from politicians to policemen, teachers to soldiers, with the remaining money designated to infrastructure projects.
Kathmandu is 1,300m above sea level and sits in a natural bowl surrounded by hills and mountains and as a result the fumes from all the vehicles and the burning of fossil fuels make the air smoggy and unpleasant.
Schools start at 10.00am and children are expected to attend for a minimum of 4 years.

Roads in Nepal are often in a great state of disrepair and frequently damaged by landslides.
Vehicle accidents and fatalities are commonplace.
Tricycle taxis tout for trade in the tourist district of Thamel in Kathmandu.
The mountain views are spectacular.
The people smile easily and are extremely friendly.

Pokhara is the second city of Nepal and is cooler and cleaner than Kathmandu and has a beautiful lake at it's centre.
Trekking in the hills and mountains is amazing!
Not enough Brits are coming to trek (what's wrong with you all?) I am surrounded by French, Germans, Dutch, Americans, Koreans and Chinese!

Wreck Diving in Sri Lanka

Can you imagine being in a tropical paradise for two weeks and not swimming - either in a pool or in the sea? Well, when I finally reached the south coast of the country and entered the Indian Ocean for the first time, you could hear it - my sigh of pleasure mixed with the sizzle of a hot body touching tropical water. I snorkelled for a little while around damaged coral reef and saw some small fish and a venomous sea snake, but I was really after turtles (the ones from Nemo with Aussie accents). Unfortunately, they simply teased me from my hotel and refused to come and lay eggs on the beach or swim with me. That said the hotel was just 4 metres from the water and the turtles were everywhere.
           

Anyway, I want to discuss diving. I did not realise it, but it is five years since my last dive in Sardinia, so I felt rusty yet determined in equal measure. I knew Sri Lanka would be a nice, warm ocean to dive in, but I did not know that the diving season only begins on the 1st November. Luckily, my first host in Sri Lanka, Pri, knew the wife of a guy who owned the dive school at Mount Lavinia, so I called him and pleaded with him to take me diving. Whilst he could not do it straight away, and he could not guarantee the quality of the dive, he agreed and we set a date for a refresher PADI pool session and (depending on the outcome) a day's diving in the ocean. I would then be leaving Sri Lanka two days later, so I knew I was cutting it fine.

I turned up at the dive centre and met my instructor, James Clark from Hull, someone with a Hull accent which got stronger the longer we were together. He put me through my paces with a written
theory test, an equipment test and a full pool session. I must say he was excellent and as it all came back to me and I passed each subsequent test, I grew in confidence. Our pool session was halted
temporarily by a fantastic tropical lightning storm, but the hotel staff put on the underwater pool lights so we could finish as the night closed in. It is quite magical swimming under water during a downpour, you should see the raindrops silently impacting the surface from below and the lightning looked an amazing mix of purple and blue from beneath.

   

On the dive day, I met James, another instructor called Jehan and Naren the owner, for 8.00am. We quickly loaded up the boat, discussed our dive plans and pushed out into the waves. 

Dive one was a disaster. we descended to 18 metres and the visibility was so poor I could not see my own hand in front of my face! I hung on to James' arm hoping he would signal to abort and go to surface - he did. Back in the boat, we discussed how the stormy weather and monsoon season was affecting the sea, but decided we would travel further from shore (about 5 kms) to a wreck called the "Medufaru." I crossed my fingers as we entered the water a second time. This time we would be going down to 30 metres - would the visibility be better or worse?

It was brilliant. The fish life was extraordinary and included: a marble moray eel, loads of lion fish, bat fish, angel fish, butterfly fish, electric rays, tuna and jack. At one point I swam through a huge 'ball' of fish, hundreds of them all spiralling tightly together ( I later learned they were being hunted by tuna who were circling them in ever decreasing rings to form what is called a 'bait ball' before they shoot in to pick off individuals.)

However it was the wreck of the ship which impressed me the most.
                            

        

It was huge and had split in half. The prow of the ship, complete with a large bulbous nose at the water line was sitting intact on the bottom, whilst the stern of the ship was standing vertically upright, fractured somewhere in the middle. The Medufaru was a cargo ship transporting building equipment and supplies when it sank and it was eerie to see an old-fashioned JCB on its side covered in coral, large cement mixers and the two cranes the ship would use to load and unload. It was silent and majestic and a privilege to dive. Before I knew it, time was up and we had to surface.

We completed a surface interval break of over an hour (to reduce the nitrogen in our blood) and we watched the local traditional fisherman with their nets and pots and I threw up due to the choppy waters buffeting our boat. Jehan and I decided to dive the wreck again but this time we would descend to the deepest part quickly and then swim upwards through the wreck!

It was amazing to swim through outer companionways, inner corridors and the main cabin and to see the hold of the ship split open in the middle. The vertical rear of the ship, with all the cabins and different floors was fascinating and I wanted to stay down there for longer to see how the fish, coral and plant life had taken ownership. But time was up and I was cutting it fine with my air. Due to our depth, we had to complete a safety decompression stop for the second time and I waited patiently at 10 and then 5 metres surrounded by thousands of tiny pulsating jellyfish. Magnificent.
                                  

   

                                           The stern of the ship rising vertically.

I cannot wait to dive again during this trip. Thank you to all at islandscuba, particularly Naren, who heard the enthusiasm in my voice and decided to adjust his start of season plans to include me.
Paul

A Little Visa Trouble In Big India

I didn't know I needed a visa!

I'm only going to be in India for 22 hours!

There was no direct flight to Kathmandu! 

I thought an online visa would be instant!

I should have known there was no direct flight from Sri Lanka to Kathmandu before I arrived here, but I wanted to start my world journey with a relaxed attitude to travel planning - be flexible I thought. I could be in Sri Lanka a fortnight or a month, so I would check out flights to Nepal as and when I decided to move on.

 

When I did get around to investigating, I discovered that I had limited options. I could travel back to the Middle East and then on to Nepal, go East towards Malaysia or Thailand or North through India. I chose India but wanted a connecting flight that would only leave me in India for a few hours (no offence India, but I am not yet ready for your sheer volume of people.) 

What I have ended up with is a 22 hour wait between flights. No problem I thought, I'll get a Transit Visa, book into an airport hotel and if I feel brave enough I'll take a trip to the Red Fort!

Unfortunately, I couldn't get my online transit visa in time. Even though it is online - it still takes days to process. I decided I would have to risk travelling without a visa.

Well at at Colombo Airport they said "you cannot go to India without a visa. We cannot let you fly." I politely stood my ground. I had read numerous internet articles the night before which contradicted this information, though I did know I'd be held in transit at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. I asked to speak to a more senior member of staff who could evidence such a ruling. When he arrived he looked at my flight to Delhi and my onward flight to Kathmandu less than 24 hours later and said, "he is right, he can fly."

And so an epic journey continues. I left my accommodation in Mount Lavinia, south of Colombo this morning at 9.30 and I will touch down in Kathmandu tomorrow afternoon around 5.30pm (some  32 hours later.) I shall not be staying in my Delhi Hotel, nor touring the Red Fort. Instead I shall be dozing on armchairs, supping tea and washing in the gent's toilets dotted around Terminal 3's holding area.

My bigger concern was my luggage. I had read that I must try to get my bags checked through to Kathmandu on initial check-in in Sri Lanka, but that when two different airlines are involved - this can be a problem. Sri Lankan Airline refused to check them through and said they were my concern in Delhi. Now you may thinking, so what's the problem - it's not like I don't have plenty of time? Well, without a visa, I would be unable to go through passport control to reach the baggage carrousel where my bag would be spinning endlessly...all by itself. 

I decided to risk immigration. I completed an entrance card for foreign nationals and made my way to the desk. In no uncertain terms I was told to "bugger off and get myself back into the transit area and not to come back down here again." Dejectedly, I made my way back up the stairs to the transit area where a large, hairy and armed soldier told me in no uncertain terms to "bugger off, I could not return to the transit area and to go back down to the desks below." I told him this was not possible according to the passport officials downstairs. He squared up to me and put big hands on his hips, alarmingly close to his gun. I quickly went down the stairs, but rather than head back to immigration I turned left and then right and found myself in a deserted inspection area. Through the glass walls I could see some airport officials about to enter digits into a secure keypad to open doors into where I was standing. Beyond them I could see an elevator up to the transit area (away from the very hairy guard with the gun.) Looking confident and assured, I timed my walk to perfection, arriving at the glass doors as they opened, nodding nonchalantly at the officials and heading straight for the lift. I pressed the button and before anyone could challenge me I was on my way up.

When I reached the transit holding area I went to the nearest desk and said I needed someone to collect my luggage for me asap. Suffice it to say that it took two hours of nagging, reminding, questioning and bullishness, before someone finally went to secure my bag and pass it into the hands of my onward airline. With a new boarding card, luggage documents and assurances that all was well with my rucksack, I was then let through into Terminal 3 transit. 

What a remarkable contrast to the stark holding area. Before me was an Aladdin's cave of stalls, shops, restaurants, bars, a hotel, sleep pods and more. Bloody expensive though! $20 Dollars for some crisps, chewing gum, water and chocolate! $3 for a cup of tea, $15 for a light snack. Of course, I do not have any Indian rupees. I have Sri Lankan rupees and even some Nepalese rupees but when I tried to purchase some Indian currency in Sri Lanka, they were only able to sell me dollars. The hotel is $160, and as I have already paid £50.00 for a hotel room five minutes away that I cannot use, I have decided to keep my money and doss down anywhere I can. 

Now I did find a place. A closed bar area upstairs, tucked away from the masses with lots of comfy chairs. A little ingenuity and I had soon fashioned myself a bed. When I lay down I was virtually unobservable. I put on my shorts, took off my shoes (and socks you'll all be pleased to note) put on my headphones and dozed. Sadly, an officious busy-body came 2 hours later and told me the area was not in use and that I should move. What a git.

I'm now sat in an armchair. It is 2.00am and the tea tastes awful - English Breakfast my arse! How come it tastes of cinnamon or some other fowl concoction? Still, it gives me time to blog, I've finished a second e-book (Divergent by Veronica Roth, if you're interested) and I now plan to snooze. 13 hours from now I'll be boarding my plane to Nepal.

Goodnight!

Paul

x

'No Room At The Inn'

Imagine my feelings - a tiring and crammed third class journey by train from Kandy to Colombo Fort (there were no seats left in second class), a 2 hour wait in the heat of the station at Colombo before getting on to another train to take me to Matara on the south coast, getting off at the wrong station 3 hours later and having to wait an hour and a half for another train knowing all the time that I have no confirmed accommodation for the night.

At Matara station a tuk-tuk driver rushed for my business and my only question was "do you speak English?" He did, so I then explained I had a couple of hotel options, but the place I had tried to book (using airbnb) had not got back to me within the 24 hours, and I had to then assume they had no room.

We drove to the first hotel - they had no rooms left. We drove to the next - they had no rooms left. And it was at this point my tuk-tuk driver said "no problem Mr Paul, you stay at my home tonight." Well, I thought about this proposal for a moment and looked at the night sky and the run down looking guest houses we had passed without signs of life (remember the real tourist season for Sri Lanka runs from December to June) and I said, "Yes please - thank you," and we set off.

Now I do not know what I was expecting, but I predicted that his house would be extremely basic and that staying with a stranger was a great risk, but I thought that he appeared honest enough and he said his mother would be at home. So I offered up a quick prayer for wisdom and protection and we set off.

The neighbourhood became increasingly less developed as we travelled, muddy roads and rickety fences. He kept saying "we are almost there Mr Paul." Eventually we pulled up at a roller shutter in a small alleyway with 8' fences to either side. He jumped out of the tuk-tuk to open up and I held my breath.

What lay inside the shutter was a wonderful, modern looking home, with welcoming lights at the windows, a porch and verandah and his mother stood at the door. He told her that they had a guest and she welcomed me in and the two of them hurried to prepare a bedroom (which clearly belonged to a teenage boy.) The room had a bed with a mozzie net, a ceiling fan, a desk (covered with secondary school age books) and a rack for clothing.

"Come see the bathroom," my driver said and walking through an impressive tiled living area with a large TV and music system, leather sofas and a coffee table, he showed me a beautiful room that would put many a western bathroom to shame. Beautifully tiled with a bidet, toilet, shower cubicle, towels, glass shelves and a large mirrored cabinet. "Is good no?" he said. My face must have showed my wonder and pleasure and I imagined getting a shower after travelling for a total of 12 hours door to door through great heat and cramped conditions with the anxiety of the last few hours slipping from my shoulders. "It no working yet, but I have outside shower - come see!"

To say the outside shower was primitive is an understatement. It was a corrugated shed with no light and a hosepipe dangling from the ceiling. "You shower now and we get your room ready." I was afraid of what creatures were in the dark corners of the shed, but shut the make shift door and showered and laughed with pleasure, for it was surely the most welcome shower I have ever had.

"You need wi-fi Mr Paul? I have. You use to get your room for tomorrow, but you can stay at my home if you want." I hastily accepted and WhatsApp'd some friends my location and the name of my host and secured my hostel for the next two evenings. A cup of tea later and I went to bed and slept soundly until 7.00.

Suffice it to say that this experience was a very positive one. His mother was proud of her son and kept saying "he's my son!" More tea for breakfast and then he drove me to the Tropi-Turtle guest house. I left 3000 rupees in my room and insisted we go for breakfast together after dropping off my bags. He then offered me a tour of Matara and the surrounding area as my guide and I accepted. We drove miles and visited a lighthouse, a coastal blow-hole (where the sea shoots up like a fountain from the rocks beneath) a couple of Buddhist temples and the fort before he drove me back to my accommodation. I expected him to ask for a lot of money, but when he asked for 4000 rupees for the 4 hour tour' I gave home 5000, shook his hand and booked him for my return trip to the station.

Charmi at the lighthouse.

If ever you are in Matara, Sril Lanka, then please look up my good friend - Charmi Ramanayaka. And if you need a guide and a tuk-tuk driver call him on 0777-486693 or 071-6316814 and say that Mr Paul sent you.

Bathing With Elephants

When I first imagined coming to Sri Lanka, I had a number of things on my "to do" list. Top of which was to wash an elephant!

I have had the good fortune to ride an elephant in the past, through jungle land in Thailand, and I have seen elephants in the wild (on safari in South Africa) and in captivity at Chester Zoo, but I wanted to see Asian elephants up close. I was aware that some elephant sanctuaries are not all they are cracked up to be - often abusing the creatures they exploit to draw in tourists. I therefore did my homework when I got to Kandy and investigated a number of options. I chose the Millennium Elephant Sanctuary, about 50km from where I was staying.

This centre had been running for close to 40 years and it's history is rather interesting. The owner collected injured and abused elephants from the area and brought them to his home. There he tended them, fed them and studied them. As his collection grew, so he employed more elephant handlers (mahout) and soon local Sri Lankans and the occasional tourist came to visit. 28 years ago, a female elephant joined the centre and gave birth to the first Asian elephant born in captivity. Sadly, the owner was then killed by one of his own elephants (a reminder that these giants can be extremely dangerous, though often inadvertently.) All assumed that his wife would close down the centre and put down the elephant which had killed her husband, but instead she chose to continue with her husband's work.

A few years ago the actor Brian Blessed visited the centre for 5 days to film and see for himself if the centre truly did look after the elephants in their care. His subsequent programme was very positive. Today, the Millennium Elephant Sanctuary has 7 elephants and is joined by dozens of international 'gap year' students who come and stay and volunteer to help tend the elephants for a while. During my visit 12 young women from Germany arrived, eager to start working for a few weeks.

Despite all my research, I still paid very close attention to how the mahout handled their elephants, determined to stop my visit at the first sign of any abuse. I did notice that all the elephants had an ankle chain, which were moved from leg to leg and when I enquired about them, was told that their use was two fold: firstly to tether the elephants in their paddocks each night and second to help check their speed when they are walking in the sanctuary with an inexperienced rider.

Satisfied, I was then introduced to my elephant, a female named Mahindra. She was fabulous. As soon as she arrived at my location, she reached out inquisitively with her trunk to say hello.

I took her for a ride, a challenging task as she was so broad and I was sat on a simple padded blanket holding on to a rope around her neck. She had no marks or blemishes on her anywhere and I relaxed into the experience. Crossing a bridge over the river was daunting as the drop, should I slip off, was considerable. We walked for some time, with Mahindra occasionally stopping to eat plants and shrubs from the path. At one point she went off the path completely in search of food and the mahout, who was walking close by, had to speak to her and tap his sticks together for her to respond to his instruction to "come along."

After 20 minutes, more than enough considering how precarious my seat and how steep and uneven the terrain, we returned to the centre and the river. Mahindra let me dismount and then slowly walked into the water and lay down. I followed and proceeded to splash water all over her and then scrub her leathery skin with a large piece of coconut husk. She splashed me a few times with her tail and clearly enjoyed the experience, especially when I scrubbed her head. I was then told to climb on top of her whilst she was laying down and she would stand up with me bareback on top. To climb on board a prostrate elephant is not easy and I had to stand on the back of her knee to clamber aboard and then hold on tight as she stood up. As I sat there grinning at my experience - looking around me as if to say "look what I did," Mahindra stuck her trunk into the water, sucked up a huge amount of water and then blasted me with it! I nearly fell off backwards laughing, which made her do it again. She proceeded to soak me a dozen times, before she'd had enough fun and walked up out of the river for some food.

She took me to a large concrete step so I could dismount next to a stall selling baskets of fruit for 200 rupees (about £1.00) and then stood there expectantly. When I walked off in the other direction (to get my wallet) she trumpeted, shook her head and swayed from foot to foot and pointed her trunk at the fruit! I told her to hang on a minute and asked my driver to get my wallet for me whilst I picked up a bowl. She gobbled everything - skin and all - from whole bananas to large slices of melon. When it was finished, I showed her the empty bowl and said "all gone" and she shook her huge head and stepped back, allowing me to give her a final pat on her trunk to say goodbye.

When I saw someone else riding Mahindra later on in the day, I was jealous and wanted to tell them to get off my elephant!

Colombo to Kandy - 121km (3 hours and 20 minutes)

Well, as I sit and type this in a modest guest room in Kandy, I am experiencing a range of emotions.

I am proud of myself for successfully getting to the railway station on time, buying a ticket and then navigating a very busy platform and train to get to Kandy.

I am pleased with my decision to travel second class, not for financial reasons, but so I could sit in a real carriage, with real Sri Lankans. One where you can open the windows fully and passengers hang out of the doors (rather than choosing an air conditioned first class carriage filled with foreign travellers.) My ticket was just 190 rupees for anyone who is interested - that's less than £1.00.

In the last few hours I have seen majestic landscape and rural life passing by from my train window.
I have chatted to Sri Lankans from Kandy and exchanged smiles and laughter with adults and children on the train.

I have met an honest tuk-tuk driver (I think) and another who tried it on with an unfair price and when I wouldn't budge on my lower offer, became angry.
I have had someone attempt to pick my rucksack.
And I am now in a cooler, mountainous central region of Sri Lanka away from the humidity, heat and noise of Colombo - phew!

I only discovered someone had tried to pick my rucksack as I climbed into my tuk-tuk at the station and I saw that the bottom compartment of my main bag was unzipped (by about 30cm.) The luggage straps, which were packed at the top, were half in and half out. I do not think that anything has been taken, but I have learned the following lessons:-
1. don't have the back of the rucksack exposed - I had seen two foreign backpackers get on to the same train as me in the morning with their rucksacks and noticed that when they got off, nearly 4 hours later, they had put waterproof coverings over their bags. I initially thought this was due to the rain we had travelled through, but I now wonder if it was to make sure that no zips or pockets were accessible to nimble fingers whilst they were walking through the train station.
2. don't get distracted in congested places. I was slow moving through the railway exit gate through a crowd of people and when I was arguing with the tuk-tuk driver about the price he wanted to charge, there were a number of people jostling around me.
3. I brought 2 large baggage straps with me to put around the rucksack during flights (to make it more recognisable at terminal carousels, to secure it and to keep the rucksack shoulder straps and handles bound up and out of the way. I should have used them today travelling on the train.

I know that my rucksack could only have been tampered with in the short walk from the platform to the main entrance and it has left me feeling annoyed and a little disappointed. Therefore, I shall be more careful and more vigilant in the future and am grateful I have learned this lesson in the safe and honest environment of Sri Lanka.

My room is not great - just the one main light, no drinking glasses or tea making facilities (it's a good job I brought a travel kettle with me!) and no toilet roll, but it does have a double bed with a large canopy mozzie net, a desk, a mirror and a table top fan. More importantly, it appears to be very clean.

I'm going to get my bearings in the town (a 2 km walk down hill) and see if I can find somewhere for a cup of tea - I'm gasping!

Bye for now.

Paul

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Colombo Fort - Short Video to all

A big hello, especially to any pupils at Mablins Lane who may tune in to watch this (if I can upload it that is, from an iPad in a hotel lobby?)

The following short video contains more ramblings and is purely as a result of me having my iPad with me as I set off today around Colombo Fort. What a contrast! The military and Presidential grandeur of former colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers followed by the hustle and bustle of Pettah -  crowded streets thronged with swarms of people, tuk-tuks, buses, hand carts, stalls and road workers. 

I am relieved to be able to come and sit in the oasis of calm that is the Hilton Hotel (other hotels are available!) I practically had a bath in the marble gents and now feel much cooler, cleaner and refreshed as I sip a cup of tea. I will give the food a miss though, as everything is relatively expensive on the menu and I am spending rupees far too freely.

Lots of love
Mr Burke

So Where On Earth Am I Planning To Go?

The pupils from Mablins Lane School could tell you, as I talked about it in a couple of my assemblies before I left. I did send out a newsletter in late July to some people who had no idea I had even resigned my position as Head teacher, but there are many friends out there who still do not know my proposed itinerary. I also promised to inform my good friend Roger Winter and his wonderful class of pupils at Moor Hall School (Class Three I believe) about my adventure.

So with a deep breath, here goes...

...Sri Lanka, Nepal, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Borneo or Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, USA and Canada. It should take a year or so, but with only a few dates set (and they can still be changed) who knows? 

I have already hit my first unexpected hurdle - no direct flights from Sri Lanka to Nepal. Therefore, I need to go via somewhere else. Current contenders are: New Delhi or Mumbai in India, Bangkok (that's in Thailand Mum) or a trip back to the Middle East, reaching Kathmandu via Dubai (again), Riyadh or Kuwait City. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts out there. All other possible routes interfere with my future plans or have Visa issues, but someone may have a great suggestion I have not yet considered. I suppose when Michael Palin did his 'Around the World' trip in the1980's he had the might of the BBC, film crew and his own 'Passepartout' behind him. Perhaps Mr Winter's pupils could check out alternatives for me during an ICT session and let me know?!

I have been in touch with a reputable dive centre just south of the capital today and whist the official Sri Lankan dive season does not begin until November the 1st, the owner is willing to give me a refresher dive and then a day out diving some time after his lead instructor arrives back in the country on the 10th. I had begun to worry that I would not get to dive here, but Pri is a friend of the dive owner's wife and has put in a good word for me. I can't wait, but it means I need to swap around some of my plans here. I shall now get a train to Kandy on Wednesday for a few days in the centre of the island. Hopefully, I can then get to visit tea plantations and elephant reserves from there before returning to Columbo and some diving. I had planned to go to the Yala National Park for a short safari, but the rains have not fallen sufficiently in the South this year and the watering holes are all dry and the animals are in a desperate condition - not something I want to see, especially when I was spoiled rotten with a wonderful African safari by Des Dunstone when Cath (Mrs Bebbington) and I first went to South Africa as part of an Afritwin project with the British Council back in 2008. (Are you still up for taking me to Kruger National Park sometime Des? - You did promise a number of times as I recall !!!)

Anyway, I must go. I have an early start tomorrow as I head for the Pettah district and Colombo Fort at 8.00am after another breakfast featuring curry no doubt. Actually, you'll all be surprised to hear that I am eating everything I am being given (probably due to the intense training I had at Morag and Andy's for the last 7 weeks!) Today I had a bowl of mango and pomegranate to start, a lightly curried omelette, a huge dish of gram beans, coconut and rosti followed by a dish of buffalo cheese with honey! Fortunately, it was all washed down with excellent Ceylon tea (with milk) and when served on a shady verandah, reading Sunday newspapers with my host Pri - could not be beaten.

Bye all

Paul

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Keeping A Journal

Now - I should perhaps have started with a disclaimer? I had not realised that my blog would be followed by so many people (nearly 1000 page views and over 2500 profile views in a week!)

Therefore...

     "the views expressed in these ramblings are my own. I may slip in the odd swear word (though not very often) and the content is aimed at an adult audience of friends, family and colleagues with more specific, child-friendly elements added every now and then. The comments made by anyone who is following my adventure are extremely welcome (the more the merrier please), but as I am not intending to police what others write, can I point out that their content may not always be appropriate for primary aged children."

I must say that I am enjoying writing when I get the time, though with inconsistent internet access, posts may be less regular at times and I may not always get the chance to respond to an individual comment. 

Do please keep in touch. I look forward to reading what has been added, be it a humorous comment from Mr McDonough about the effects of curried eggs for breakfast on my digestive system (by the way - get well soon Gary) or a former pupil wanting to say 'hi.' They are helping me to deal with travelling alone and I really look forward to sharing something I have seen or done in the day with everybody who is following.

Thank you
Paul
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Last night's sunset over the Indian Ocean!

Sri Lanka - Day One

October 2nd, 2.10pm - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Bloody hell it's hot!
I know I must be feeling a little tired from the trip (22 hours door to door) but even after a welcome nap for a couple of hours, I am exhausted.
I have managed to unpack, remove three dead and one living cockroach from my room, wash the clothes I travelled in, shower and sit in the verandah with a cup of tea. (Did I mention that I hate cockroaches!) The one I discovered on the back of the kitchen door was large and well camouflaged. I tried to catch it in a glass, but it moved like lightning, flowing into the door jamb with reptilian grace. I shut the door on it, thinking I would crush it between door and frame, only to have it skating downwards as I opened the door again. It froze on the floor and I just managed to slam the glass over (and slightly onto) it. Unfortunately, I decided to then slip something under the glass to pick it up and evict it. Suffice it to say - it was not my best executed plan and a slightly injured cockroach has ended up outside the window and I am left holding a broken glass and nervously looking for more roaches!!

My room is rather nice though, with a large bedroom with 2 single beds (one with a mozzie net erected over it which I shall be sleeping in tonight), a large bathroom with a decent shower and a small kitchen. An effective ceiling fan keeps the air moving, but it is a very muggy day. When I landed this morning it was already 30 degrees C and cloudy. Now it is hotter, more humid and raining gently through bright sunshine.
Fortunately, I threw a sarong into my luggage when I was packing, something I bought years ago in Barbados, thinking I would use it at a beach sometime to protect me from the sun, but now it is all I am wearing and even it is too much.

The male housekeeper, Dhanapala, who let me in on arrival does not speak the clearest English (and I was too tired to take in much of what he said.) I am now feeling hungry and eager to step out into the city, yet fearful of getting lost. Part of me is contemplating waiting in until the owner, Pri, gets in from work to ask about local maps, shops and restaurants, yet another part of me is saying that I should step out and have a local wander - after all I am already 8,000 miles away from home - can another mile on foot be so bad?

I shall be brave.
Time to go out into the Sri Lankan city of Colombo...

 10.00am Wednesday 1st October pre-departure

My Mum Enters the Digital Age

Mum asked if I could help her set up a map in her kitchen so that she could plot my progress. She needed some help finding the places I plan to visit (even with a magnifying glass) but she is now confident she will be able to keep up. 

Better still, she now has an internet connection! For the first time in her life, she has installed broadband, connected up a router, purchased a simple tablet and is now online. So far she has been focussing on developing her Skype skills with me and willing members of the family, but she is already branching  out into sending and receiving simple emails and has even searched Google for all things Elvis! The last time I was with her she was watching the BBC iPlayer to catch up on an episode of Dr Who she had missed. Whatever next?

Anyway must go. More posts tomorrow live from Sri Lanka.

Lots of love

Paul

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